Everything you need to know to catch 'em all in Pokémon GO

Microsoft Surface Book with Performance Base Review

Quick Verdict: The Surface Book is an exceptionally good offering, but it's definitely only for those looking at a premium computing solution.

Strengths

The 13.5-inch screen

Versatile design

Battery life

The secure screen connection

Windows Hello face unlocking

Could be better

Price

No USB C connections

Easy to lose stylus

The Surface Book with Performance Base is the second generation of its MacBook Pro competitor. The big change over the 2015 version of the Surface Book is a dramatic step up in the graphical capabilities of the new base unit. Where the old unit featured a custom Nvidia card based on the GeForce 540, the Performance Base adds a Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M graphics card.

Despite the significant increase in power needs, Microsoft still manages to maintain the battery life offered. The end result somehow melds laptop and tablet into a single device, adding the versatility of an iPad Pro to the power of a MacBook Pro in a single package, which gives Microsoft the edge over Apple’s approach to premium portable computing.

Microsoft Surface Book with Performance Base from Microsoft Store

Design

Looking at the Surface Book as a complete unit, you could easily be taken with the idea that you are in fact looking at a standard, old-fashioned laptop, though with a slightly strange hinge design. The only real indication that Microsoft has built a hybrid style device is the fact that the power button is located at the top of the 13.5-inch screen, just like a tablet.

The full-size keyboard and trackpad are far from unique, with the exception of one button at the top of the keyboard. A long press of this button will release the locks holding the screen attached to the keyboard and switch the Surface Book into tablet mode, so you can take the screen with you and work without the bulk of the qwerty keyboard.

Because of this hybrid nature, the Surface Book with Performance Base is a little bit bulkier than most laptops, as it needs to squeeze batteries into both the screen component and the base unit. But it otherwise doesn’t skimp on the connection ports, with two old-school USB 3.0 ports and an SD card reader on the left of the base. On the right sits a Thunderbolt as well as the proprietary charging port on the right. There’s also a headphone jack on the tablet for those who like the authenticity of cabled sound.

The other major component of the Surface Book with Performance base is the stylus, which magnetically attaches to the screen. Like the Apple Pen, it looks the part and works well, but the reality is that unless you’re a professional designer the need for such a peripheral is minimal.

Why you’d want the Surface Book with Performance Base

The 13.5-inch screen. Admittedly, the 3:2 aspect ratio of the Surface Book with Performance Base may seem a little odd in a world of 16:9, but the thing is gorgeous. At 13.5 inches, it’s quite large for a tablet, but it is lovely to behold. There’s an abundance of detail on every screen, making it a great companion to all kinds of work.

Versatile design. Admittedly the uniform metallic grey colour scheme does not scream “fashion icon” from the top of the street corner, but there is a premium quality in both looks and feel with the Surface Book. That’s even more evident when you factor in the versatility of the removable screen. The computer is well weighted, feels robust in either laptop or tablet mode, and offers a premium performance, which is generally something you must sacrifice to get this kind of form factor.

Battery life. The fact that there needs to be a battery in both the screen and the keyboard means that the battery life on the Surface Book is resolutely impressive. Even tackling some graphically intensive tasks, like gaming, the Surface Book continued to perform well.

The secure screen connection. Don’t let the presence of a physical button confuse you – the process of detaching the screen is software based. Because of the extra grunt, Windows needs to make sure everything will keep working without that extra graphical grunt, so the software decision makes sense. But the reality is that the screen attachment is incredibly good. You can carry the Surface book by the screen with no fear of the keyboard detaching and falling to the ground, though we probably wouldn’t recommend that.

Windows Hello face unlocking. This feature isn’t unique to the Surface Book, but it was definitely the best implementation of face unlocking I’ve experienced. It mostly worked, with a few misfires in awkwardly lit rooms.

Why you might want to avoid the Surface Book with Performance Base

Price. No matter what way you look at it, the Surface Book with Performance Base is an expensive proposition. Admittedly it is a premium machine, but given the fact that the hybrid doesn’t actually feature the latest Intel processors, the performance is somewhat dated already.

No USB C connections. There is a very definite trend in the market right now towards the new USB C standard. It’s slightly disappointing to see that Microsoft’s current flagship Surface product doesn’t include the new standard.

Easy to lose stylus. The stylus that comes with the Surface Book is remarkable for its accuracy, and conveniently sticks to the side of the device for storage, but it's still easy to lose. During the course of this review, the stylus went missing at least three times, and I spent a good five minutes each time searching for it.

Who is it best suited for? What are my other options?

If the recent upgrade to the MacBook Pro left you feeling a little underwhelmed, and you like a little more versatility from your laptop, the Surface Book is an exceptionally good offering. But it's definitely only for those looking at a premium computing solution, and one that isn't too worried about the latest components powering their workload.

The fact the Surface Book with Performance Base has a starting price of $3,799 tells you exactly the type of market the device is best suited to. If the price is a bit high, Dell's new XPS 13 2-in-1 offers a similar tablet/laptop experience at a cheaper price point.

Where can I get it?

The Surface Book with Performance Base in Australia is exclusively available through the Microsoft Store, either digitally or at its Sydney flagship location. Unlike the cheaper Surface Pro devices such as the Surface Pro 4, you can't pick it up elsewhere.

Ask an Expert

Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank
details) as your question will be made public

finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or
product provider

We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations

Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions
below to see if yours has already been asked

Your Question

Subscribe to the Finder newsletter for the latest money tips and tricks

Notify me via email when there is a reply

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, read the PDS or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Disclaimer - Hive Empire Pty Ltd (trading as finder.com.au, ABN: 18 118 785 121) provides factual information, general advice and services on financial products as a Corporate Authorised Representative (432664) of Advice Evolution Pty Ltd AFSL 342880. Please refer to our FSG - Financial Products. We also provide general advice on credit products under our own Credit Licence ACL 385509. Please refer to our Credit Guide for more information. We can also provide you with general advice and factual information on about a range of other products, services and providers. We are also a Corporate Authorised Representative of Countrywide Tolstrup Financial Services Group Pty Ltd. ABN 51 586 953 292 AFSL 244436 for the provision of general insurance products. Please refer to our FSG - General Insurance. We hope that the information and general advice we can provide will help you make a more informed decision. We are not owned by any Bank or Insurer and we are not a product issuer or a credit provider. Although we cover a wide range of products, providers and services we don't cover every product, provider or service available in the market so there may be other options available to you. We also don't recommend specific products, services or providers. If you decide to apply for a product or service through our website you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product or service and not with us. We endeavour to ensure that the information on this site is current and accurate but you should confirm any information with the product or service provider and read the information they can provide. If you are unsure you should get independent advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan. (c) 2018.

Feedback

How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely

Required

Required

Required

Optional, only if you want us to follow up with you.

By submitting your email, you agree to the finder.com.au Privacy Policy

Thank you for your feedback.

Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.

Important information about this website

finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We compare from a wide set of major banks, insurers and product issuers.

finder.com.au has access to track details from the product issuers listed on our sites. Although we provide information on the products offered by a wide range of issuers, we don't cover every available product. You should consider whether the products featured on our site are appropriate for your needs and seek independent advice if you have any questions.

Products marked as 'Promoted' or "Advertisement" are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options and find the best option for you.

The identification of a group of products, as 'Top' or 'Best' is a reflection of user preferences based on current website data. On a regular basis, analytics drive the creation of a list of popular products. Where these products are grouped, they appear in no particular order.

Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment.

We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.

Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labelling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.

Providing or obtaining an estimated insurance quote through us does not guarantee you can get the insurance. Acceptance by insurance companies is based on things like occupation, health and lifestyle. By providing you with the ability to apply for a credit card or loan we are not guaranteeing that your application will be approved. Your application for credit products is subject to the Provider's terms and conditions as well as their application and lending criteria.

Please read our website terms of use for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.